Improvement in scroll water-wheels



tinitul thaise aient @Mire Latem Patent No. 94,788, dated smarter 14,1869.

' I l i IMPROVEMENT IN SCROLL WATERWIIELS The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part: of the same.

Figure 3, a detached view of the under side of the cover.-

Figure 4, a detached section of the wheel, showing the buckets in various positions.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the different views presented. Y

The nature of this invention relates to a direct-acting scroll water-wheel, the water-space or `channel in the scroll being divided by a partition-wall, whereby a certain. amount of water is carried around and discharged upon the opposite side of the wheel from that on which it was received, and where the volume of water is compressed in the discharging-end of the scroll, so that the wheel receives the full force of the head at diiferent points'.

Also, a. further improvement is made by so pivoting the buckets in the wheel, and giving them such shape that a larger number can be used in tli'e wheel, without its becoming clogged and interrupted in its movement by drift-wood and other'1 like obstructions.

A represents the case or scroll, in which the wheel `B is centred, by means of the shaft C.

Said wheel consists of the rims D, connected to the shaft by the radialarms E. i

Between the rims of the wheel are pivoted the buckets F, the pivots being indicated by the dotted line a, iig. 2, whereby the buckets are allowed to turn from a direction in the line of its diameter to that of its circumference, for a purpose hereinafter shown.

The channel ofthe scroll is divided intwo sections, G H, gsfl and 2, by a partition-wall, I, which, as will be seen, proceeds from the chute J around to the point b.

It will be observed that thel channel is much higher Athan the depth or thickness of the wheel, so that there is a space in the channel above the wheel, as seen at G, fig. 2, which is the outside division of the channel, and H, the inside division, which is gradually decreased in its height from the chute to the end, until it becomesof the height of the 'depth of the wheel, as seen at H.

By,the cover of the channel being made gradually thicker and thicker to its end, or to the end c of the partition-wall, so also is the outside channel made to decrease gradually from the end of the inside channel, at the pointe, to the `end,`by the addition of the filling K, which adds to the thickness of 4the cover', thereby contracting or narrowing the space down to about the height of the thickness of the wheel.

In iig. 4, H covers the inner channel, and G K the outer, the partition-wall fitting the outercurve of H, and in close contact Wit-h the cover.

The practical operation .of this wheel is as follows:

The water, ou entering the channels G H from the chute, is impelled forward by the head of the stream, which, in its course around the scroll is concentrated, first, through the channel H, along around to the point b, fig. 1. A portion of the water is carried still further around bythe channel Gr, and discharged upon the wheel aloig from the point b to the end e of the scroll, the end being somewhat smaller than at any other point of the channel, gradually decreasing fromV the lip c, as above said.

' The volume of water is retarded in its flow, and, therefore, receives in a more solid column the full power-of the head, and hence is precipitateduponthe wheel with greater force than it would be if scattered or allowed to spread before impinging upon the wheel.

Also, by giving a greater holding-capacity to the channels, by increasing the depth` or volume of water back ofthe issues, increased force is thereby given to the water, hy the pressure produced by this greater volume of the water above, by forcing it forward by its superior gravity, which would not be the result, were the channels of equal size throughout their entire length. i

As above said, the buckets of the wheel 'are piv- -oted in'the' rims, so that they are allowed to turn from a transverse direction of the channel to'that of the owing water, the purposeof which is to facilitate y the vescape of dlift-wood,blocks of ice, 85e., that maynd their way to -the buckets, the position of which, on receiving the water, is transverse to the stream, the water striking them at j, fig. 2, the outer side of the pivotal lille, whichis then deflected and thrown into the centre of the wheel. Now, should a block of ice, wood, or other like drift strike the buckets, they being free to move their oblique sides down inthe direction of the stream, will thereby allow it to pass through, by giving more room to the drift, just within the rim ofthe wheel, andy therefore, it will not lodge, which it would do were the buckets secured rigidly in their place, as they are in the ordinary scroll-wheels.

The bucket, when open in the direction of the water, allows the full force of it to be received upon the preceding one, which, ou being deflected there- WVhat I do claim as my improvement, and desire to ,secure by Letters Patent, is

The partition-Wall I, whereby the flume is divide into channels G H, and filling H K, in combination with-the .pivoted oblique buckets f of the wheel, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

lVitnesses: SEYMOUR G. STEVES.

' J. H. BURRIDGE,

E. E. WAITE. 

